Category: Baking

Sebreena’s Pie Crust

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Sebreena’s Pie Crust

  • Servings: 4, 9 inch single pie crusts
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Pie crusts. Who hasn’t had a need for some. Well I tried making them once and they could have been used as weapons. Never did that again. A couple of days ago, I wanted to make Tourtiere a.k.a Meatpie, see this link. My recipe makes two meatpies. So off I go downstairs to the freezer and oh oh, I only have one package of 2 frozen pie shells. Stores are closed. Now what??? I asked a friend, who makes great flaky pies if she was willing to share her recipe. Here it is.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces divided, 3/4 and 1/4
  • 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of ice water

Directions

  1. Layout 3/4 of the butter pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until hard, at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate remaining butter.
  2. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor.
  3. Add refrigerated butter and pulse to combine, about 10 times.
  4. Add frozen butter and pulse until mixture resembles course meal, with some blueberry size clumps.
  5. Add ice water, and immediately pulse until water is absorbed about 10 times. Squeeze a small amount of dough to make sure it holds together. Pulse a few more times if needed.
  6. Layout 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Empty half of the dough onto each piece Bring edges of wrap together to gather dough. Press into disks.
  7. Roll out disk, still wrapped in plastic, to 1/2 inch thick rounds about 9 inches in diameter.
  8. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

    9. Note, I’m not including the baking time, as it will depend on the recipe you are using this pie dough for.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 690
  • Fat 46.8 g
  • Sugar 8.3 g
  • Carbohydrates 60.4 g
  • Protein 8.75 g
  • Fibre 4.1 g

This dough can be refrigerated for 2 days or frozen up to a month. Now I must reiterate what Sebreena made sure I understood. ICE WATER and FROZEN BUTTER are key to success. She told me that once I’ve succeeded in making this, I would never go back to frozen pie shells. You know what, she was right. As you see in the pic, the ones on the left are her recipe and the ones on the right are the frozen pie shells. I was intimidated on trying this but I will be making these going forward. This is the one time that I will not tell you to make it your own. What you put inside is where you can get creative, have fun and make it your own.

Corn and Blueberry Muffins

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Corn and Blueberry Muffins

  • Servings: 12 muffins
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Who doesn’t like blueberry muffins? If you are diabetic, you are allowed between 10-25 grams of carbs per snack. Depending how well you have been doing all day. This is at the high end of 26. It can be treat on a day you have been doing well. For calorie conscious it is only 158 calories per muffin. If you calculate that a standard fast food muffin contains an average of 400 calories, this is a good alternative.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk (low fat) see below if you can’t find any at grocery store
  • 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of corn meal
  • 6 tbsp of sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp of baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp of salt
  • 1 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 3 tbsp of canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp of grated lemon zest (approx. 2 lemons)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin tin with either paper liners or silicone liners
  2. Whisk flour, cornmeal, 5 of the tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently incorporate the blueberries.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk, buttermilk, oil, egg and lemon zest together.
  4. Add to the dry ingredients gently, just enough to mix and wet the dry ingredients. Do not over beat as you will release too much of the gluten and they muffins will become heavy.
  5. Using an ice-cream scoop (I love this trick) scoop into a lined muffin tin. Should fill just about to the top. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar over top of muffins
  6. Place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for 15 minutes

Nutrition Per Serving, 1 muffin

  • Calories 158
  • Sugar 19 g
  • Carbohydrates 26 g
  • Protein 3 g
  • Fiber 1 g
  • Fat 4 g


If you can not find low fat buttermilk use 1 cup of skim milk and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. This will make the milk sour but it is a good a replacement for buttermilk. I do this all the time.

You can serve them with butter, jam, or peanut butter. Personally I prefer them plain. But they are your muffins so remember to have fun and make it your own.

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

I can not take credit for this recipe. This is a variation from John Ashlie, and Anne Lindsay made it her own and now I have adapted it slightly here.

3806971F-CD7E-4588-A8C6-59C372A96DF7

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup margarine melted
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp grated orange rind
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 baking soda
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, pour buttermilk over oats, stir to mix. Cover and left stand for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
  2. Mix together carrots, brown sugar, margarine egg and orange rind: stir into oat mixture.
  3. Sift together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda; stir in raisins. Stir until batter is moistened.
  4. Using an ice-cream scoop (I love this trick) scoop into a lined muffin tin. Should fill just about to the top.
  5. Place in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for 2 minutes

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 145
  • Sugar 13.8 g
  • Carbohydrates 30 g
  • Protein 3.3 g
  • Fiber 1.6 g
  • Fat 1.4 g

These muffins are moist, delicious, healthy and light. What more could we ask for. I like dark raisins but if you prefer the light those are good too. I added some time in the preparation due to the grating of the carrots. 1 large carrot should do it.
Play with the spices, and remember to have fun and make it your own.

Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins

  • Servings: 12 muffins
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

These whole wheat maple sweetened banana muffins are easy to make, with basic ingredients, one bowl and moist. Don’t tell anyone but they are healthy too.

3806971F-CD7E-4588-A8C6-59C372A96DF7

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup of vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup of maple syrup
  • 2 eggs, preferable at room temperature
  • 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, plus a little more for sprinkling on top
  • 1-3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup of rolled oats, plus a little more for sprinkling on top
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar or brown sugar, for sprinkling on top

Directions

  1. Preheat oven at 325. Grease your muffin tin if necessary. I use silicon muffin liners in my pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and maple syrup with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
  3. Add flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. (this is where you would add in any additional ingredients, that make it your own)
  4. Divide the batter evenly between the muffins. (I use an ice-cream scoop filled and it works out pretty good)
  5. Top with sugar, extra oats and cinnamon.
  6. Bake for 22-25 minutes until cake tester or toothpick come out clean from centre.
  7. Place on cooling rack to cool. These muffins will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 4-7 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 208
  • Sugar 12.6 g
  • Carbohydrates 33 g
  • Protein 4.5 g
  • Fiber 3.4 g
  • Fat 7.6 g

Serving suggestions: these muffins are great on their own, or with a pat of butter, or peanut butter. You can have them cold or slightly heated in the micro for no more than 30 seconds.

This is where you can fun. Your add-ins are your creation. You could fold in up to 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, chopped dried fruit including cranberries, cystalized ginger and or chopped nuts. You could put a topping like cream cheese icing or maple glaze. It’s all up to you but remember to have fun and make it your own.

—